Truth:

For over 40 years, hydrogen has been used in vast quantities for industrial applications, such as powering forklifts and space shuttles. During that time, an infrastructure had been developed to safely produce, store, transport and utilize hydrogen.

Truth:

Like most industrial gases, hydrogen is a gas that must be managed and handled safely.
Hydrogen is everywhere and can be seen in industries such as refining, aerospace, food and beverage. In the food industry, hydrogen is used in the hydrogenation of amines and fatty acids and when combined with Sorbitol it creates Mannitol, a food sweetener found in chocolate, candies and chewing gum.

In the case of transportation, hydrogen has an extremely low-density and dissipates almost instantaneously. In the unlikely case that hydrogen were to leak from a vehicle and catch fire, it would burn up into the air in seconds unlike gasoline, which pools on the ground and is extremely difficult to extinguish.

Truth

Hydrogen can be produced and transported in a number of ways including on-site electrolysis, tube-trailer delivery, and pipeline transport. Hydrogen generation is not dependant on a limited resource, which makes a hydrogen infrastructure a practical long-term solution. Since hydrogen is the most abundant element on earth, we are able to shift our energy security to a post-carbon era that relies on renewable energy to fuel our cities.

Truth:

Energy created from windmills and solar panels must be stored to consistently provide energy that can be used at the user’s convenience. Using the electricity that windmills and solar panels produce to create hydrogen that can be used whenever, wherever makes wind and solar power efficient and viable as a solution to power our vehicles, homes, and communities.

Truth:

Hydrogen has been used for a multitude of purposes in various industrial settings for over 50 years. In the 1960’s, NASA was already using hydrogen in a fuel cell that supplies electricity to the Apollo series of rockets, which ultimately reached the moon. The US Navy has used hydrogen fuel cells to power submarines since the 1980s. As far as vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are already on the road. Toyota released its HFCEV, the Mirai, in 2015. Honda’s HFCEV model, the Clarity, has been available for lease since 2008 and will be on the market this year for buyers.

Truth:

California has paved the way and invested $200 million dollars to build a hydrogen highway that would consist of 100 hydrogen fueling stations by 2020. Hydrogen infrastructures can easily be established across the nation with the proper investment of time and resources.

But alternative vehicle manufacturers and energy companies can’t do it alone – it takes the support of local and state regulations and funding to help continue to build the infrastructure needed.

Truth:

Petroleum fuels accounted for 92% of the total energy used by the transportation sector in the United States. Introducing multiple types of zero-emissions vehicles to the market will make this percentage decrease faster than with one type alone.

Truth:

All energy sources require fuel conversion. However, hydrogen created through electrolysis, natural gas reformation, and bio-gasification retains more energy than when oil is converted into gasoline. Hydrogen is 2-3 times more efficient at running a car than traditional gasoline, further justifying the energy initially required for conversion. Hydrogen also makes for an efficient electricity storage medium allowing us to make use of electrical energy that would previously go to waste or cause inefficiencies in the electrical power grid.

Truth:

Infrastructures to support Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles have been under development since 2003!

In Birmingham, Alabama, and at the University of Delaware hydrogen is used to power a fleet of buses.

In Canada, hydrogen forklifts and warehouse vehicles are used by major retail corporations.

A hydrogen infrastructure has been growing in California where there are already 20 publicly accessible hydrogen stations, with another 100 planned to be open by 2020.

Toyota and Air Liquide are collaborating to build 12 stations in the northeast of the United States, essentially connecting Boston to New York.

As of 2015, Germany has 21 publicly available hydrogen fuel cell stations and plans to have 400 stations by 2023.

There are approximately 80 hydrogen fueling stations in Japan, with the target to have 320 stations by 2025.

As of 2014, South Korea has 11 hydrogen stations in operation and plan to build 10 more hydrogen stations by 2020.

France launched Mobilité Hydrogène France, an initiative to research and develop a country-wide hydrogen infrastructure.

The closer to the center each vehicle is,
the more efficient that vehicle is in at each category.

Fuel Storage

HYDROGEN:

stored in hydrogen tanks and converted using fuel cells

ELECTRIC:

stored in lithium-ion batteries

GASOLINE:

stored in gas tanks

The closer to the center each vehicle is,
the more efficient that vehicle is in at each category.

Mile Range

HYDROGEN:

travel 300 miles on one complete fueling

ELECTRIC:

fully charged travels 265 miles

GASOLINE:

travel 300 miles on a full tank

The closer to the center each vehicle is,
the more efficient that vehicle is in at each category.

Time to Fuel

HYDROGEN:

fuel in a mere 3 to 5 minutes

ELECTRIC:

30 - 60 minutes to fully charge

GASOLINE:

3 minutes to fill

The closer to the center each vehicle is,
the more efficient that vehicle is in at each category.

Emissions

HYDROGEN:

zero emissions

ELECTRIC:

zero emissions

GASOLINE:

emit CO², CH₄, N₂4, HFCs

The closer to the center each vehicle is,
the more efficient that vehicle is in at each category.

Storage Volume

HYDROGEN:

vehicles contain 5 Kilograms of fuel

ELECTRIC:

245V batteries

GASOLINE:

average holds 15 gallons - this number may vary substantially

DRIVE YOUR COMMUNITY FORWARD

MA

NY

NJ

CT

RL

Connecticut

An early American industrial powerhouse, Connecticut is now one of the nation’s strongest supporters of fuel cell technology: it’s the only state in the nation so far to rely on hydrogen fuel cells for its backup power system, and Connecticut’s Zero Emission Bus Implementation Plan has the goal of replacing 25% of public transit vehicles statewide with zero emission vehicles by 2025. Connecticut has signed on to the Multi-State Zero Emissions Vehicle Plan, an initiative to put 3.3 million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2025.

Connecticut has a shorter building permit process (2 months), allowing for infrastructure to be developed and implemented faster than most other states.

Connecticut has a $450,000 grant opportunity to jump start construction on two hydrogen fueling stations.

In May of 2015, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) launched the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Program (CHEAPR), offering a cash rebate of up to $3,000 to Connecticut residents, businesses, and municipalities who purchase or lease an FCEV.

Massachusetts

The Bay State is no stranger to sustainable living. While more than half the state is covered in forests, its largest city, Boston, features highly walkable roads, functional public transit, and an abundance of urban green space. Massachusetts has signed on to the Multi-State Zero Emissions Vehicle Plan, an initiative to put 3.3 million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2025. Massachusetts shows that a rich history can coexist with a bright future.

The Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition is one of the most powerful advocacy groups in the nation for renewable energy and low emissions vehicles.

The Governor of Massachusetts recently announced an allocation of an additional $2 million to The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles Program.

Massachusetts already has a hydrogen fueling station in Billerica and plans to open several more in the near future.

New Jersey

New Jersey is home to white sandy beaches, majestic Appalachian Mountains, and the famous Delaware River. The Garden State is also famed as the landing point for the first passenger flight in American history, making it the perfect place to Clear the Air.

The New Jersey Energy Coalition lobbies for the production and delivery of clean, reliable, American-produced energy in New Jersey.

New York

New York State has some of the most sophisticated urban infrastructure in the country. New York City is often considered the model for all US public transit and walkable urban living. New York has signed on to the Multi-State Zero Emissions Vehicle Plan, an initiative to put 3.3 million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2025. The state’s forward-thinking approach to public problem-solving and willingness to envision a better way of managing city life makes its energy infrastructure ripe for transition to a hydrogen-based model.

14 million dollars have been allocated to New York’s “Climate Smart Community Program” focused on renewable energy prospects.

The City of New York gives a tax credit to municipalities that adopt alternative fuel vehicles as fleet vehicles for their city police, including HFCEVs.

The State of New York has planned to allocate upward of $200,000 for each hydrogen station built, greatly assisting in building out a strong hydrogen infrastructure.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s shimmering Atlantic Coast shoreline is known as a pristine push-off point for swimming, sailing, and surfing in the summer and is a wonder worth preserving for generations to come. Rhode Island has signed on to the Multi-State Zero Emissions Vehicle Plan, an initiative to put 3.3 million zero-emissions vehicles on the road by 2025.